Australia receives world’s first registration for new BASF insecticide

• Versys® receives approval for use in Australia
• New champion in vegetable and cotton farmers’ fight against aphids, with reduced risk to beneficial insects and pollinators
• BASF launch of Versys at the Hort Connections conference: June 18-20, 2018 in Brisbane, Queensland

Melbourne, Australia – April 23, 2018 – The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) is the first in the world to complete registration for BASF’s Versys^® insecticide, providing Australian vegetable and cotton farmers with unparalleled access to the newest insecticide technology.

Versys, the first Group 9D insecticide of its kind, powered by BASF’s new active ingredient Inscalis^®, controls aphids in as little as 15 minutes and gives suppression of silverleaf whitefly, both of which are becoming increasingly resistant to existing insecticides. It also adds increased harvest flexibility due to its short withholding periods.

The registration allows Versys to be used in brassicas, leafy brassicas, celery, cucurbits, fruiting vegetables, leafy vegetables, lettuce, potato, sweet potato, cotton, ginger and ornamentals.

“Versys will offer Australian farmers an alternative mode of action for the control of key insect pests and will be an essential tool to farmers for use in resistance and integrated pest management programs,” said Gavin Jackson, Head of Agriculture BASF Australia and New Zealand.

“We know that Australian growers are early adopters of innovation and technology and we are committed to delivering them access to world class solutions. It is really exciting that we have the first registration in the world for an Inscalis-powered insecticide, providing Australian farmers with faster access to new technology,” he added.

BASF, the world’s leading chemical company, invests around €507 million each year into new agriculture research and development, and has a pipeline of around 25 new products launching in Australia over the next five years.

Versys will officially launch at the Hort Connections conference in Brisbane which runs from June 18-20, 2018.

About BASF’s Crop Protection division

With a rapidly growing population, the world is increasingly dependent on our ability to develop and maintain sustainable agriculture and healthy environments. BASF’s Crop Protection division works with farmers, agricultural professionals, pest management experts and others to help make this possible. With their cooperation, BASF is able to sustain an active R&D pipeline, an innovative portfolio of products and services, and teams of experts in the lab and in the field to support customers in making their businesses succeed. In 2017, BASF’s Crop Protection division generated sales of €5.7 billion. For more information, please visit us at www.agriculture.basf.com or on any of our social media channels.

About BASF in Australia and New Zealand

BASF posted sales of about €464 million in Australia and New Zealand in 2017, serving key industries in the agriculture, coatings, construction, manufacturing and mining sectors. As of the end of 2017, the company had 501 employees and operated 12 production sites across manufacturing and agricultural solutions, performance products and functional materials and solutions. BASF has been active in Australia for more than 90 years, and for about 60 years in New Zealand. Further information is available on the Internet at www.basf.com/au.

About BASF
At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. The more than 115,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into five segments: Chemicals, Performance Products, Functional Materials & Solutions, Agricultural Solutions and Oil & Gas. BASF generated sales of €64.5 billion in 2017. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (BAS). Further information at www.basf.com.